Rise and Fall of the Spacers:Aurora
by persian85033
Summary: Daneel and Giskard during Robots of the Dawn and Robots and Empire.
1. Chapter 1

Vasilia had left her f-no, 's establishment. She now had her own. She did not want to think about her childhood with Fastolfe. Vasilia had never really given it much thought. To her…her childhood had been…she knew now just how unusual her upbringing had been. And she hadn't been aware of it before! Meeting other Aurorans, she knew they had been raised in nurseries, and from their experiences, when they would share them, she saw just how different she was. How unusual. How…un-Auroran. Just thinking about it angered her. Angered at Fastolfe.

Just before she left, she had asked to take Giskard with her, but Fastolfe had not allowed it. Giskard would remain part of Fastolfe's establishment. Why?she thought vehemently. Why? Fastolfe had other robots. Many robots. Giskard was _hers_! She was convinced it was because Fastolfe had certainly hated her, she thought. Because he had wanted to see her reaction to losing her favorite robot. That was all he cared about. Learning how the human brain works. He had ruined her life, she thought bitterly.

She kept re living the many rejections. She had thought many times, viewing book films on the subject, learning. And she would think just how one would go about offering herself to someone. To him. After all, to who else? She remembered the feeling she felt when he had first rejected her. Of course, she was aware that sometimes one would be rejected. But she had been so sure. So sure. Maybe she hadn't gone about it the right way. Maybe she had done something wrong. Surely if she insisted, she would find the right way. But nothing. And with each rejection, she felt increasingly frustrated. Or no, perhaps frustrated was not the right word, no. Confused? Less confident? Whatever. She must not think about that anymore, she decided, firmly, as a robot informed her that the personnel artist whom she called to design a wardrobe for her had arrived. She must not ever think about anything like that again. Ever.

Keldon Amadiro sat in his establishment, viewing his usual book films. As usual, his robots had been ordered not to let anyone in. He hated to have his privacy invaded. And right now was his own private time. He would have certain times set aside, when he would simply not see anyone.

He viewed films about Earth. Again. Earth was such a peculiar world. So barbarious, and yet…yet he could not quite seem to get enough information. It was so different from Aurora. Much worse, he told himself. After all, Earthmen were short lived, uncivilized, and just see how they lived! How they bred like insects! It was so different from Aurora. Too terrible, he thought to himself, too terrible. Yet too interesting.

He would view book films about both Earth's history and present. Earth's history. Parts of it were full of violence. That was what most fascinating. Earthpeople only used violence to solve any number of problems. Quite a number of it, done for the greater good of humanity, he saw. They obviously did not know the greater good. It was especially the violence that would get his attention. The greater good. The only greater good was established here, on Aurora. The other Spacer worlds, but especially here, on Aurora. And that was what he wanted. A million Auroras. That would put an end to all this violence. He was horrified yet attracted to Earth. He hated Earth all the more so for this reason.

Gremionis had been working with Vasilia for a while now. She was a reserved person, but they talked and from bits and pieces he could tell that she was most likely a virgin. A virgin! At her age? He knew her upbringing had been different, but…this made him see her in a different way.

Vasilia was shocked, speechless, sick as Gremionis offered himself to her. In her mind, she relived the rejections from Fastolfe, and she was angered. She immediately rejected Gremionis.

She couldn't think of anything even resembling that. She spent a few days depressed, and feeling angry. Angry that she was not normal. If anyone ever did find out…she didn't want to think about what would happen. What if she were expelled from polite society? Or worse, be made a laughing stock?! Well, she was simply a very reserved person. No one need ever know. She simply knew how to keep things to herself. That was all. No one need ever interfere.

Of course, being rejected was just part of it. When one offered oneself, there was always a chance of being rejected, but who cared? There would be others. Not in this case, thought Gremionis, when Vasilia had rejected him. Usually it was a matter of indifference. Not so now. Instead he seemed to please him instead. Of course, if she were to have kept herself a virgin, she would have had to reject many offers.

Giskard felt what was the equivalent of sad at Little Miss's departure. He had seen to it that would not allow him to go with Vasilia. Giskard felt it more important to remain with Fastolfe. He had spent years slowly, studying both Little Miss's and 's minds. Little Miss was full of anger. Just only a short time ago, Little Miss had been full of affection for her father. Yet, in so little time that affection had turned to anger, almost hate. Over 's rejection? Giskard could tell that this had affected her deeply. Human reactions changing from one thing to another so quickly! If only he knew why and how. Then he would be able to perhaps help, and keep both and Little Miss from harm. If he knew the human mind better, he would obviously be able to obey the Three Laws much better.

Some time later, Giskard stood in his niche while watched the hyperwave. was very pleased, Giskard could see. Very pleased. Friend Daneel had gone to Solaria, to help solve a murder. Partnered with a plainclothesman from Earth. Now, along with him came a woman, Gladia Delmarre. She had found life on her home world intolerable, and now with this of the murder, she would be coming to Aurora.

Giskard paid closer attention, as he sensed the change in 's emotions. The woman on the screen looked very much like Little Miss. Surely must see that as well, thought Giskard, as he peered into Fastolfe's mind.

Fastolfe was taken completely by surprise when he saw the woman, Gladia on the hyperwave. How like Vasilia!he thought. He immediately asked his robots to look up everything they could find on the woman from Solaria. He read most carefully. He remembered his rejections of Vasilia, how she had been when she left. No, he thought. This woman, so like Vasilia, and also, suffered a similar trauma. He could not just leave her, and…no, he would have to do something for her. For starters, he would have her established near him.


	2. Chapter 2

Vasilia could hardly believe her ears when she heard that Fastolfe had taken responsibility for the Solarian woman! She was stunned! People had said that the Solarian woman resembled her, and although she did see the resemblance, she never gave it any importance. But…that Fastolfe, that her…her father had taken this woman…to take her place! Was that it?! Would he do for this stranger what he had never done for her herself? Perhaps because this woman would be the daughter Fastolfe had always wanted, when she herself had not been. Vasilia knew she should feel nothing, yet she could help but feel very hurt that this woman, this stranger, this foreigner, would be living so close to Fastolfe, as she once had. Despite what she might tell herself to the contrary, Vasilia did miss her father. She had recently joined the Robotics Institute, working with Keldon Amadiro, who was Fastolfe's chief rival. There would be great satisfaction, she thought, in seeing to it that Fastolfe was destroyed. That Amadiro, or rather she, would be the one to destroy him, just as he had destroyed her. She told her robots to not disturb her, and she would not have dinner, as she went into her bedroom and wept.

Life on Aurora was so different from Solaria, it seemed to Gladia. It took quite a bit getting used to, seeing. And Aurorans talked a bit funny. She would almost jump in surprise whenever she encountered another person while walking. Robots, too. On Solaria, the robots usually stayed out of sight, unless summoned. Sometimes she had to spend some time in isolation before recovering. But of course, she would grow accustomed to it. Especially as here, she would meet many Elijahs, she thought. She remembered him quite fondly. Eventually, though she could see that was not so.

Gladia learned that on Auroran one only need to offer one self, which she did, many times to many Aurorans. However, none of the Aurorans really cared. It was something so…casual. She was such a fool to not have seen that! These Aurorans! Sometimes she wished she had never left Solaria.

She had Jander on loan from . had been her very good friend, and simply had loaned him to her. Looking through the changes of clothing that the dear doctor had given her for Jander, she decided it was rather plain and that the robot would not wear anything, and sat to design a new wardrobe for him herself. Of course, this would mean she would have to measure him carefully, which she did. It surprised her to see how human in appearance he really was. And not just in appearance, either.

Despite herself, Gladia was fascinated, and curious. Jander demonstrated, and she found herself that she looked forward to anytime she would measure Jander. It didn't take her long to realize how much it pleased to touch him. He was a robot, after all. Just like any of the robots on Solaria. Just like any here, even. But humaniform.

Unlike when she tried with Aurorans, Gladia had no trouble or hesitation with Jander, and Jander, unlike Aurorans cared for her. This made Gladia quite happy. And she thought, for the first time in her life she was happy. She had a husband, just as what she knew what a husband should be. She had to keep it a secret, of course, but that was unimportant. She also had to be careful. Especially about how often she saw Jander. She did not want to tire of him ever. She did not want this happiness to end.

Jander had left Fastolfe's establishment. had loaned him to Gladia. Gladia measured him, saying she would have new clothing designed for him. It would please her to dress him in a different manner. He could tell just how much it pleased Gladia to be with him, to touch him. She also enjoyed that he did the same for her. To have done anything to discourage her, would be to break the First Law. He knew about Auroran customs, as that was part of his programming. He would stay in his room until Gladia summoned him. He could tell that she treated him almost as if he were human. She often refered to him as her husband. Gladia took long walks with Santirix Gremionis. A roboticist, Keldon Amadiro would view Jander on such occasions. He asked the robot several questions, and would order sharply that Gladia not be told.

Keldon Amadiro was not one to engage in small talk. However, with Vasilia he sometimes did. She was Fastolfe's daughter, everyone knew, but she did not care to even use his name. She wanted no connection with Fastolfe, she knew. That was well. After all, she was a brilliant roboticist, and she may have inherited some of Fastolfe's brilliance. He found out that she was tired of the offers of that personnel artist, Gremionis. Not that Amadiro cared at all, however, this might work to his advantage. He suggested, as a way to get rid of Gremionis that Vasilia encouraged him to offer himself to the Solarian woman, as a substitute to herself. Some time after, he learned that Gremionis, took long walks with the Solarian woman, and that the humaniform robot, Jander was in her possession. He had grown increasingly frustrated that the Institute had not been able to accomplish humaniform robots, which were so necessary for the colonization of other worlds!

Fastolfe wanted other worlds to be settled by Earthpeople! The very idea almost terrified Keldon. Aurora, surrounded by planets settled by Earthpeople! Keldon felt not only a horror, repulsion, fear, but also somewhat of an attraction toward Earth, especially of certain parts of its history. He actually found himself wondering just what it was _really_ like. It was very un Spacer of him. And once the Earthpeople vanished from the galaxy, he would have no more problem. The only solution, he thought, was to find out how the humaniform positronic brain functioned was through the robot, Jander. And now with the Solarian woman not in her establishment, he could view Jander, and obtain the information necessary.

Giskard observed 's mind. Gladia's as well. Fastolfe had been on Earth, and Gladia had met an Earthman. Even though they had been Fastolfe's ideas before, Giskard could quite see the validity of the statement from not just Fastolfe's mind, but from observing other Aurorans. There was no doubt that humanity would perish at the rate things were going. And soon. He must study Earthpeople. Robots, he could understand with no problem, as they were most logical. Humans, now that was the puzzle. He could see how robots were affecting humanity, though. But how? Why? He thought if he could only figure out how the human brain functioned he would have the answer, and he could certainly fulfill his duty and the Three Laws! He would call this psychohistory, he thought, and introduced it into Fastolfe's mind, using his abilities. If he were to know how to obey the Three Laws as they should be. There would be no uncertainty, and one would definitely obey the Laws. He would have to study Earthpeople as well. They were, after all, human, too. And it may just be they that he needed. He must study Earthpeople! Thinking carefully, he decided on a course of action.

Gladia sat in her establishment, and raised her arm to summon Jander. Odd, she thought, after a few minutes, that Jander did not come. She summoned again. Once more. This was not usual. She decided to go see Jander. What was wrong? When she stepped into the room, and spoke to the robot, he did not respond. Terrified, she ordered one of her robots to get ! She tried again, Jander still did not respond. Just what had happened?!

Gladia was distraught when she was told by Fastolfe that Jander had died. She always thought of him as human, as her husband. Jander's death was news, just as her first husband's death had been! And she was once more the center of a planetary sensation. Why? Why must this happen to her? Just when she had found happiness, she was now a widow. Jander's death didn't just affect her, though. It affected as well, who was being accused of having killed Jander, and she was sorry for that. The only thing she wanted now was to find out who had done this to her! was in considerable trouble because of Jander's death. She had already, in a way, killed Jander, just as she had killed her first husband. Her first husband! His death! That was it! There was only one way to find out who was Jander's murderer! Elijah! Elijah Baley!


End file.
